Hiking Gifts From Non-Hiking Friends

“I know this has been discussed on a previous thread but I couldn't find it.

I just got a fancy Tommy Hilfiger Aussie hat from my mother-in-law for my birthday. It's got a nice leather patch on the front with an "H" and some other embroidered "patches". She means well and it's actaully a decent hat, it's just not the first impression I want to make with other hikers. Then again who cares what other hikers think.”

“At least now you'll fit in with the LL Bean crowd!”

“how about 1 trekking pole - a Chinese knock off - I didn't have the heart to tell my sister that I already had 2 Leki's in my car.”

“My aunt gave me a "nice" skillet after she saw the one I was using. Mine was 6oz--the one she gave me was 11--guess which one I use for eggs at home.”

“I got a pretty nice waxed cotton duster from my mom... She's high as a kite if she thinks I'm carrying that heavy bastard into the mountains though.”

“My first thought when I saw the title of this thread was 'REFUND'!

After reading who the present was from, I'm thinking... wear it with pride - whenever your mother-in-law is around, <G>.”

“Remove the embroidery and leather patch with a seam ripper first =).

I got a nice journal from a close friend, after I told her about the spiral bound notebook we record each days events in while backpacking. The journal she gave is about two inches thick and has a hard cover. I use it. It's small enough the weight isn't that great and I like it.”

“I thought about that Sass - but knowing me - I'd forget and wear the hat in front of her again. It's a $5 hat with $20 embroidery - which I ripped off. hehe.”

“My aunt bought me a big ass survival knif. The kind you attach to your belt, and tie around your leg. It came with a whole bunch of gear in the handle of the knif. Cool but heavy!”

“My sister gave me a camp stool/backpack combo. It had a nice heavy duty steel frame. I never used it and do not know what happened to it.”

“I asked for a wool cap once, and got this fancy hat with a pom-pom, ear flaps and long ties that I've never worn. I got my first head lamp from the same person though, so I guess it all evens out.”

“My ex-girlfriend got me a really nice Pekka headlamp when we were together. It was just what I wanted, thanks to some very gratuatous (sp?) hint dropping!”

“hearing that i was into "camping," my grandmother got me a cup warmer that you have to plug in as a gift. even if i was car camping, where would i plug it? LMAO!!”

“Prior to my first extended outing, my mother bought me an old army camp shower (the canvas kind with the big metal spigot on the bottom). Probably weighs 2-3 pounds. It's in the attic somewhere.”

“Some of the custodians pitched in and bought me a kerosene lantern... the old-timey red ones.
"We know how you like'ta go off camping and stuff..."


Jamie got me a tiny Leatherman last Christmas. Kewl tewl.

Sis and bro-in-law gave me a Magellan GPS. Never packed it, tho.”

“My Dad b!tched and moaned that he wanted a GPS so we got him one and he said 'what am I going to do with this?'

lol”

“When my Dad found out I was getting into camping and hiking, he got me some stuff that was useful for car camping. One of those little burners that screw onto a little propane tank, a grill that you can put over a fire. The grill is nice and big, and folds up flat. The propane burner I actually used on my first bp'ing trip. I lugged two cylinders of propane, not knowing how long one would last. Boy I was heavy that trip! lol....”

“I did that too bit, once.

It's cool when they get you stuff like that, as long as it's returnable for exchanges.

I picked up a pair of North Face pants this Christmas by returning a bigazz "windproof/waterproof" butane lighter, some "waterproof matches" and a couple other gadgets that I'd never use.

Same person got me a nice ultralight LED headlamp too though.”

“"I asked for a wool cap once, and got this fancy hat with a pom-pom, ear flaps and long ties that I've never worn. I got my first head lamp from the same person though, so I guess it all evens out."
twigeater
09:13:09 AM
05/28/02


Got any pictures? ;-)”

“Nice thread...

My mother-in-law (the devil) got me a box of assorted brands of beef jerky this past Christmas. Actually, not a bad gift. She was trying to be nice and get me a hiking related gift. I guess I gotta give her that ONE...”

“I got a digital camera, vivatec vivacam with 128mb memory. Only one small problem,,,,,it weight 8 oz. but it only cost $65 Am I grateful? YOU BET! Since my other digital is a historical dinasaur 3 lb Panasonic with built in hard drive! ( i bought a prolite3s with rei dividend) really want a titanium titan mug, colored or not”

“In looking at the old posts on this thread I found:

"My ex-girlfriend got me a really nice Pekka headlamp when we were together."
Artex
09:59:15 AM
05/28/02

Hey Artex, I want my headlamp back! She had no business giving you one of mine, lol!

(Is it any better if I was a Freudian slip as Artex went to write Tikka?) ;-)”

“LOL! I had meant Petzel. You can have it, I've realized the damn thing weighs a ton.”

“So how does that work? Does Artex carry you on his shoulders while he backpacks? Do you carry the backpack and turn on the headlamp when he needs it?”

“I got a nice TV/radio/big ass flashlight this Christmas from my family. The previous year I got a portable TV. Both for camping. They don't quite understand that the point of camping is to GET AWAY from that stuff. I was at least able to return this years TV since I acted quickly.”

“I love it. Petzel/Tikka/Pekka.

bitpusher, I guess I'm just the light of his life.

Though if I don't get out for more exercise soon, I won't be the "light" in anyone's life and I'll find myself sitting around with those 4-1/2-pound multi-light/appliances.”

“pekka's been eating too many lantern mantles...”

“My childhood did coincide with the above-ground nuclear testing era. How much strontium 90 was in the milk of the 1950s, anyway? For some reason I just have trouble remembering...

As for the actual thread topic, my mom finally got the idea to just ask me to circle something in one of my catelogs and give her the catelog a sufficient time before birthday or holiday.”

“Er, catalog. Dang mantles.”

“So what you're saying is that in the 50's, camping lanterns were unnecessary, you just needed to bring along a bottle of milk?”

“That and your radium-dialed Mickey Mouse watch. And if your feet got sore on a hike, you could go to the department store shoe section and examine your own foot bones in the self-service X-ray machine!”

“Radiation: It's Good For You!”

“Radiation: Good for what fall off you!”

“Just the other day we finished a publication and print job for client that was kind of a pain in the ass. He just stopped in and gave us each a swiss-army type multitool with a Greek word Sophronismos, "Knowing how to keep your cool" He's ok in my book now!”

“Heeeyyyyy...I remember this thread.

Sounds like a good gift to me !!”

“No, no, no, IJ.

You have no business posting on this thread about stuff you might actually use backpacking.

Now, I once was given one of those 10lb billy club-style maglites "so I can use it when hiking".”

“LOL!
I read the thread title and automatically thought "Uh oh. Sounds like trouble."”

“I got a cast iron pan for frying eggs while hiking once. Took it back after explaining my packed pack weighs less than it.”